Hunter and Prey
by kimiko yuki
Summary: [AUish]KakaSaku. What happens when two assassins meet in the middle? Death and Bloodlust? or something completely different? rated for the last chapter.
1. Chapter 1: The Hunter

Hunter and Prey

Summary: KakaSaku. Who is the hunter and who is the prey? Who will succumb to the fiery, forbidden desires in their hearts?

Disclaimer: Don't own any of them except maybe in my dreams

Chapter1: The Hunter

The moon, hiding behind the clouds provided the cover she needed. The night was gloomy, and this was how she liked it. With deadly skill, she leaped from branch to branch, barely making any noise, with movements so smooth it cannot be recognized. Stealth was her gift, and she prided herself for that. No one can see her if she doesn't want to be seen. The wind was blowing softly, she could smell rain in the air. It felt good.

It was a good night to die.

She smiled beneath her mask as he thought about the man. He was considered to be one of the best ninja there is. The man was famous in all ninja villages. His name alone inflicts fear on his enemies. He was known to be the killer of many other famous ninjas. It was even rumored that he has the eye of a demon and no one could lay a hand upon him.

Until tonight.

Sakura landed on a tree branch and crouched, assessing the environment. She has her own reputation to be proud of as well. She was the best kunoichi in her village, skilled in all aspect of the shinobi way. Her hands were stained with the blood of many worthy opponents, and she was proud of it. She had done so many missions flawlessly that her name was starting to be remembered and adored by the younger genin. Her dream is to simply be the best. Her task for tonight is to eradicate one of her competitors, and she was more than happy to do it.

Her mission was frighteningly simple, kill the rouge ninja. Eliminate Kakashi.

The leaves stopped moving, everything was deathly silent, as if the wind held its breath in anticipation of her next move. She jumped again, each leap bringing her closer and closer to the enemy. She knew exactly where she could find him. She had done her research well.

Her heart pounded with anticipation. She knew it was not going to be easy but she was prepared for it. She knew Kakashi would never give up without a fight… and that was how she wanted it to be.

"Tonight's a good night to die." She told herself again. Sakura closed her eyes and licked her lips. She was not certain whose blood it was that is going to stain the ground tonight… but hell, she can't wait to find out…

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_Authors Note: this is just my first fic, please be gentle..._


	2. Chapter 2: The Prey

Chapter 2: The Prey

He sat lazily on the ground, his back resting on the trunk of a huge, old tree. His one arm propped against the back of his head as a cushion against the hard wood. His other hand held an orange book up to his nose. A fire crackled merrily nearby. He could smell rain in the air. He was getting bored.

He suppressed a yawn as he shook himself up. He needed to find a place to stay for tonight, before the rain comes. He brushed aside the fine silver hair that covered one of his eye. His eye…the sharingan eye…it was none like the other eyes that ordinary people have, and they feared him because of it. His was of deep red, red as blood. Three orbs surrounded his pupil as it dilated to adjusted to his surroundings. He traced a finger lightly across the scar. The village people called him demon eye, provoking fear in their in hearts. He didn't mind. At least they would stay away and give him peace.

He dropped the book and reached for a borrowed kunai. It was not his. It was from another ninja who had foolishly challenged him to a fight. That ninja is now buried under a pile of earth and rocks. He thought about the young warrior, how the lad fought vigilantly for his mission, and paid the ultimate price. Death.

Kakashi cursed the man who hired this ninja. He refused to kill, as much as possible, but sometimes it was inevitable. Kill or be killed. There are only two choices for a fighter like him, he chose to kill.

He played with the kunai in his hand, spinning it between his fingers. He used to be just like the ninja who owned this knife, a hired hand, an assassin, a weapon used to inflict fear. He was born a ninja, trained since childhood in the art of fighting and killing, and he was good at it. His skill was so good that he soon became the highest priced warrior in the land, until he turned his back on it all.

Now he was a hunted man, ever since he refused to be controlled be money mongering people whose intentions were only to gather more money. He had worked for people with no noble purpose, just plain greed. He refused to kill for them any longer.

Now he fights only for himself.

Now he kills only for survival.

Now they want him dead.

It had been a week since his last fight and he wished that the people who wanted him dead would give up and stop sending these ninjas, or at the very least, send a good one. He would rather kill a worthy opponent than strike down a warrior who doesn't even know what he's doing. He said a silent prayer for the boy and sighed deeply.

He dropped the kunai to his side and stared at the sky, there were no stars and the moon was hiding behind dense clouds. It was definitely going to rain tonight, he decided

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Authors notes: arrrghhh... Kimiko-chan desperately needs to get a life...


	3. Chapter 3: The Battle

**Chapter 3: The Battle**

She watched him as he played with the kunai in his hand. She smiled at herself as she examined the fine, lean body beneath the shirt and the vest he wore. He was not muscular, like the knuckleheads in her village who thinks that bigger muscles means strength. His body is trimmed and well defined, built for speed and agility. She assessed her enemy closely. Even with his lazy pose, she could sense his strength and skill. His face was also hidden behind a mask.

The mask is a symbol of a killer nin.

Sakura touched her own.

She saw his sharingan eye.

"So he does have the demon eye after all. A pity." She thought to herself as she pulled out her shuriken blades. She jumped from her hiding place and aimed the deadly blades at him.

He sensed it coming, and his body reacted instinctively, dodging the blades with such grace and agility, but not until one shuriken caught the edge of his right arm. He bled through the fabric of his clothing. It had been such a long time since someone made him bleed. He knew instantly that whoever threw those blades was unlike the regular ninjas he has killed before. A smile crept up to his lips, hidden by the mask. A worthy opponent at last.

He scanned the trees and the leaves. He saw no one. He tried to sense his opponent's chakra but found no trace of it.

"Hmm. Skilled at concealment as well. This is going to be interesting."

He stood there in plain few of Sakura. He didn't even try to run or hide. She eyed him intently as she threw more of her blades.

He sensed another batch of shuriken coming from behind, hissing as it cut through the air. This time, he was fully prepared and dodged them easily. He caught the last blade between his fingers and aimed it at the direction it came from among the trees.

Sakura saw her own shuriken coming straight for her, she eluded it effortlessly but that was her mistake. She lost her concentration on the concealment jutsu, and, faster than a lightning flash, she sensed Kakashi behind her. It was too late to react as a powerful blow connected with her body and she fell to the ground.

Kakashi watched the form as it fell. He couldn't help but smile.

"A kunoichi." He noted. "At least they sent me someone interesting this time."

He gazed at the body of his opponent. Such a fine figure, powerful but feminine at the same time. Her limbs, covered only by short leggings, were sprawled against the moist ground, gleaming like marble under the light of the moon. Her chest, heaving from the powerful blow that had knocked the air out of her lungs. Her hair was gathered up and held together by a piece of ribbon. A few stray strands framed her face, hidden under a mask. He had no need to see her face. He knew instantly that she would be beautiful. He moistened his lips. It had been a long time since he was with a woman.

"This is going to be fun."

Sakura picked herself up quickly and stared at the enemy, a few yards in front of her. She got ready to attack again and this time she will make no mistakes. With a kunai in her right hand, she launched herself at him with deadly speed and aimed for his heart.

Kakashi was ready for the attack. He anticipated her move as he quickly shifted from his position, caught her hand and pulled it back above his shoulder, the kunai still within her grasp.

"Who are you?" he brought her face closer as he pulled on her arm some more, close enough that his breath mingled with hers. Kakashi smelled the flowery scent of her hair and was fascinated by it. Pink, such an unusual color for. He longed to release it and run his fingers through it. He wanted to…

"Arrrggghhhh."

Pain snaked through his leg as he released her hand. She jumped back, the kunai in her right hand and a kodachi, stained with his blood, in the other.

Kakashi eyed the woman steadily, "You are going to regret that, my precious little wildcat."

"I think not." Sakura said defiantly as she crossed her arms in front of her, the two deadly weapons craving for more blood.

She felt the first trickle of rain against her face. The storm has come at last.

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Author's notes: I just realized making a fic is thougher than it looks. Well, hope you guys still enjoy it. I need to get some sleep. Review please...


	4. Chapter 4: The Tigress

**Disclaimer: Still don't own any of them, the plot however, is a creation of my sick twisted mind.**

Chapter 4: The Tigress

They stared each other down, Kakashi, in his lazy, sluggish pose and Sakura in her alert, attacking stance. Neither one backed down their gaze. The easy drop of water before had become a full wretched storm now, and it poured noisily on them. Both were soaked to the bones but neither one paid any heed. Lightning flashed above them followed instantly by the roaring thunder.

Kakashi was the first to break the silence between them.

"If you value your life, girl, then turn around and back out now. This is no game you play."

Kakashi suppressed a smile when he saw the annoyance in her green, jaded eyes when he addressed her as "girl". Such brilliant, emerald eyes, and right now, they are staring daggers at him. He allowed himself to wonder how they would look like given a different setting.

"I am not one to back down from a mission." Sakura said boldly. "and my mission requires your blood on my hands." This man has no idea what kind of "girl" she can be, and she was more than willing to show him.

Such defiance in her voice, he had never met someone with as much audacity as she had. Man or woman. Her statement made it clear, she will kill him mercilessly, without a second thought. Kakashi had hoped that he wouldn't have to hurt this beautiful creature, but she seemed to think otherwise.

This woman intrigued him.

"Before we fight, tell me your name. I hate to kill someone without even honoring their name."

Sakura laughed at his remark. "There is no honor between enemies," she tightened her grip on her weapons. "and I will not be the one dying tonight."

A blinding brightness flashed above as lightning split the sky and before Kakashi's eyes could adjust to the light, she was gone. He had never known anyone who moved so fast that he didn't even sensed her coming. A stabbing pain shot through his left arm as his skin linked with metal, and before he knew it, she was gone again, as fast as she came in.

Sakura continued to move with lightning speed while her jutsu veil her movements and her chakra. This was her favorite strategy and many had fallen victim to it.

Fast.

Easy.

Clean.

She launched herself in the air, kodachi in hand, ready to strike. She used her weight and gravity to further increase her speed. Kakashi didn't even have a second to react as her blade seared through his chest, leaving a deep, painful cut.

She landed on the ground, her back arched, one hand on the floor to soften her momentum while the other hand held on to her blade. She allowed Kakashi one last look of her eyes before she disappeared again.

She had the eyes of a hunter stalking her prey.

A hissing sound came from behind as shuriken blades aimed for his body. He to ran to his left to escape the flying weapons only to come face to face with his opponent, her right hand held back, clutching her faithful kodachi. She thrust her sword arm toward his body with as much force as she could exert. He tried to jump back to avoid her dagger but not until it sliced through vest and shirt.

Kakashi took as step back as he held a hand through his bloodied shirt. His other hand searched for his only weapon, the kunai that belonged to the ninja he had killed, hoping to defend himself from her next attack.

His hope didn't last long.

She suddenly appeared behind him as he felt the warmth of her breath on his icy cheek. He was stunned, unable to move, as she whispered closely to his ear, the tip of her dagger inching it's way through the skin on his back.

"Is this the great Kakashi Hatake? Is this all you got?" Her voice mocking him as she pushed on her dagger, making him aware of the dangerous position he is in.

"I am disappointed, I thought you'd be more of a challenge." She stated as her knife cut through his flesh and skin. "I guess I was wrong." and she disappeared again, leaving Kakashi bloodied and in pain.

He cursed himself as he fell to the ground. He had underestimated his opponent. She was as deadly as the other ninjas he had faced, if not even more. She was no mere woman.

She was a hunter.

"Blasted concealment jutsu!"

He realized he will have to fight seriously if he wants to survive the night. His little wildcat turned up to be a fierce tigress after all.

He rose to his feet, slowly, steadily. His bloodied hands dropped to his side. Sakura stopped her movements and landed several yards in front of him. She stared at him as he got up to his feet, into that sluggish position of his.

He had his eyes closed and she wondered what he was up to.

Then she heard a deep, rumbling sound coming from his chest. She was doubtful at first, but it grew clearer and clearer.

Is he laughing at her?

How could he laugh in a situation such as this?

How dare he?

This made her angrier, more determined to kill him now. The next time she strikes, she will strike true.

"You have forgotten the most important rule for a hunter, my precious little wildcat." he

told her mockingly before she leaped through the air.

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_Author's Note: Phew... writing a fic is tougher than it looks... currently in the process of writing the lemony chapter of the story...hope you guys like it... If you like / don't like my story...please please please... don't forget to drop a reveiw. _

_I think I desereve treat... reaches for a KitKat_


	5. Chapter 5: The Assult

**Disclaimer: Still don't own any of them, the plot however is a creation of my sick, twisted mind. **

**Chapter 5: The Assault**

Her blood was pounding in her ears as she launched herself at him. "It ends here, Kakashi." Her veins were alight with fire as she went for the kill, her kodachi aimed for his heart. No more games. This time, it was for real.

A deafening sound of steel against steel was heard throughout the forest as his kunai blocked the path of her kodachi. Nobody had ever been able to dodge her final attack before. No on could possibly see her movements. She was stunned, unable to believe that she failed to kill him this time.

"The rule of the wild, my dear," he spoke to her huskily, barely a whisper through the thundering rain.

With one swift movement, he grabbed her neck and lifted her form up with one hand. He gave it a tight squeeze as he felt her body struggling for air.

"Never toy around with your prey."

He lifted her higher. Her hand dropped the dagger she was holding as she grasped at his hand. She felt dizzy as her deprived lungs shouted for air. She clawed at his arm in a pathetic attempt to free herself from him to no avail.

He tightened his grip even more as he brought her tormented face closer to his and peeled of her mask. Yes, she was beautiful, even more striking with her defenselessness and vulnerability. He took pleasure in seeing her dazed, emerald eyes as her pouting pink lips slowly turned blue. His fierce tigress a while ago now resembled a weak, helpless kitten.

Her struggles went weaker and weaker with every passing second. His hold tightened even more. Her hands dropped down to her side as her body went limp, unable to move another muscle. Her brain fought for whatever little consciousness it had.

She had acknowledged her defeat as she prepared herself and accepted death.

Kakashi had other plans.

Right before she lost consciousness, he released his grip on her neck. She fell on all fours into a hapless, panting bundle before his feet. Every intake of air was like a divine blessing from the gods and she breathed eagerly. She felt cold and bitter as the rain poured down on her weak body.

She felt a burning, throbbing pain as Kakashi thrust a kick into her abdomen. She was airborne for a few seconds before she landed and rolled on the grass. Her whole body muddied with dirt and grime. She was in deep pain as she struggled to stand up, her knees trembling as it refused to support her weight. She tried to stand up again. She almost managed to do so before Kakashi appeared in front of her with a feral look in his mismatched eyes, the orbs of his sharingan spinning wildly.

"What happened to my ferocious tigress?" he taunted as he drove his fist on her stomach with such force that it knocked the air out of her lungs.

She had no choice but to lean onto his body for support as her head went dizzy.

"I hate you, Kakashi." It was all she was able to say.

He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her hard against the trunk of a huge tree, her head hitting the hard wood with a sickening thud.

Kakashi pressed closer to her, pinning her against the trunk with his body, it felt good. She tried to push him away but to no avail. He placed one hand on her abdomen, feeling her cold flesh ripple against his touch. He looked into her face, saw her helplessness and smiled. He pulled down his mask before he took her mouth with his. His kiss was brutal as it invaded her, leaving nothing to question. His lips pressed painfully into hers as it bruised the soft, sensitive flesh. He tugged at her lower lip as his hand snaked up its way to grab her breast. He heard her moan, in pleasure or in pain, he could not tell. He kissed her again, deeper this time as his tongue pushed past between her lips and he tasted the honeyed interior of her mouth. He drowned in the pleasure she was giving him as his other hand traveled up her spine and cupped her nape, tilting her head so he could deepen the kiss even more. His lips and tongue attacked her very core, unforgivingly harsh. He left her mouth and surveyed his work. Her eyes were dreamy and unfocused, her cheeks flushed with heat and her parted lips were swollen and red.

He smiled to himself as he kissed and licked the line of her jaw. His hand held a fistful of her cherry hair as he tugged it gently to one side, allowing him access to her smooth, supple neck. She tasted like sweet wine, addictive and satisfying. He licked and tugged on her earlobe, eliciting a sharp sigh from her. His breath was warm on her ear as he spoke softly to her.

"Tell me your name." he whispered huskily, before is lips went to the junction of her neck and shoulder. He bit hard on the sensitive flesh, not strong enough to cause pain but hard enough to show her who was in charge. His action earned him a deep purring sound from her throat.

She did not answer his question so he pushed his body even closer to hers, his weight bearing down on her feeble, feminine body. His hips pressed onto hers, making her aware of the pressure that was starting to build up in his loins. He dragged his lips across her collar bone, kissing and sucking at her flushed skin, his hands traveled under her wet clothing, moving in an utterly slow pace up and down her rib cage. He could feel the warmth of her body against the freezing coldness of her shirt, inviting him for more.

"Your name," his voice hoarse and raspy as his mouth began its assault on her body once again. "Tell me your name."

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_Author's Note: I think this is a nice place to stop for tonight. Gomenasai this is my first pathetic attempt at lemon. Please don't kill me _


	6. Chapter 6: The Escape

**Chapter 6: The Escape**

Sakura felt drugged. She couldn't feel anything but pain. She couldn't even breathe. Every inch of her body ached. Her head was throbbing unbearably, a buzzing sound hummed in her ear. She tried to shrug it off but the pain only got worse. Her once flawless limbs were and battered all over, lined with bruises and wounds caked with dirt and mud. Her wet hair was plastered all over her face as her damp clothes clung to her lithe form. The cold air swept across her body making her shiver. She sensed a heavy mass on top of her, crushing her against the hard wood. She forced herself to move but her muscles declined to budge even an inch. She felt powerless and vulnerable. The two things she hated the most.

Am I dead?

I must be…

She was about to surrender to the numbness that unconsciousness would bring until she heard a distant voice in her head. She tried to comprehend what the voice was saying but the buzzing in her ear just grew louder. Her only answer was a weak sigh.

A sudden warmth enveloped her body, drawing her closer to reality. She did not know what it was but whatever it is, it felt good. She allowed herself to feel it, each stroke like a breath of life. She gave a deep satisfied groan as the warmth intensified, slowly bringing her back to life. She couldn't get enough of it.

She wanted more.

She felt it against her cold naked skin, sending pleasant sensations throughout her feeble body. She urged it to go on as she moaned in delight. The buzzing in her head had left, replaced by the sweet consciousness of pleasure. She could think more clearly now. She had never felt like this before. She felt alive again. She didn't want this feeling to stop.

"Tell me your name." the voice said, clearly to her this time.

Her mind raced as she remembered that voice. That voice….she hated that voice…and the man it belonged to.

Her consciousness went into overdrive…Mission…Kakashi…kill…

Sakura thought of many words to say. Curses and ill words flooded through her brain as she sought of the most fitting statement to say to this accursed man, the man whose warm lips and roaming hands confused her mind and body. Mustering the last of her strength, she poured all the hatred and anger she had in one simple statement.

"No."

Kakashi was infuriated. Even with her pathetic situation, she still managed to defy him. She should be begging for his mercy. She was weak, helpless and defeated, yet she found the courage to resist him.

His hand found its way on her breast. She gave a small yelp of pain as his hand tightened its hold, bruising the soft delicate flesh.

"You know you want this, why resist?" he said through grinded teeth.

"Because… I hate you."

Her answer was plain and simple and it angered him even more. His hand went forcefully to her neck as her head hammered the hard wood behind her. How dare she deny him? She wanted this, her body had betrayed her mind, yet she refused to accept it. He wanted so much to squeeze the life out of her, to break her pretty little neck. It would be so easy for him to just kill her now.

No.

He doesn't want her dead.

At least, not yet.

His hand seized the curve of her chin. He gave it harsh shake as he forced her eyes into focus. Her dazed, emerald eyes met his mismatched ones as she looked deep into his sharingan. An unexpected, horrendous fright encased her whole body as she stared into his soul.

Torture…she expected.

Pain…she can tolerate.

Death…she already accepted.

These are the things that a ninja like her were trained to accept without question.

But nothing in her life, both as a shinobi and as a woman, prepared her for what she saw in his eyes.

Lust… in its purest, most uninhibited form.

She could hear her heart pounding on her chest as her sudden panic rushed adrenaline into her bloodstream, forcing her battered muscles into action with a strength she did not know she possessed. Instinctively, she managed to wrench an arm between her body and his.

"Let me go, you bastard!" she shouted pushing him away with all the force that she could exert with a loud groan.

Kakashi took a step back, stunned for a second at her sudden show of strength.

A second was all she needed as she slipped past his restraining body. Her limbs, fueled by fear had regained their vigor. She hoped that her legs had strength enough to run and escape those lust filled eyes as she darted towards the woodland area, into the densest part of the forest, praying and hoping to find sanctuary for she was absolutely certain what would happen if she didn't.

For the first time in her life, she felt truly afraid.

Kakashi smiled as he waited a few seconds before darting into the forest after her. He was the hunter now... and there is no way he'd let his prey escape him that easily.

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_Author's note: here yah go...the lamest chapter I've done... absolutely no thrill into it... but i'll make the next one as exciting as literarilly possible. Also please do tell me if you are getting a bit confused about the plot and I will try to remedy that. please read and review, or else i leave this one hanging... bwhahaha! would never actually do that ofcourse _


	7. Chapter 7: The Hunt

**Chapter 7: The Hunt**

A primitive fear pounded on her heart as she tried to put as much distance as she could between her and Kakashi. She made her way through the tangled forest, the rain and the leaves obstructing her view. It was dark and she could barely see anything. She had no idea where she was going, and she doesn't care, as long as he could not catch her. An outlying branch cut through her leg, causing it to bleed but she did not pay any heed. Pain was the last thing on her mind right now.

She darted deeper into the wild. Thorns and sharp branches scratched through her face and body as she followed the path that steadily went uphill. Her mind had forgotten that she was a kunoichi, that she was a trained shinobi. She was just a woman now, running away from a man who would have his way with her. The tables have turned and fate laughed at her misfortune.

She was his prey.

A piece of uprooted wood caught her feet and she groaned painfully as she stumbled unsteadily unto the ground, scraping her hands and knees. Mud and dirt splattered all over her body as she fell on all fours, panting heavily for breath. Her hair was loosened and in disarray. Wet, soiled clothes clung to her body like a second skin with a freezing hold. Her legs were weak and her arms could barely move due to exhaustion. Her whole body was trembling uncontrollably, demanding her to take rest.

The taste of her own blood on her lips reminded her that this was her own fault, that she should have backed down when he offered her escape before the fight started, that she was foolish to think that she could beat someone like him in a match, that this was the price she had to pay.

"Give up, Sakura. There is no way to escape this." Her inner self conspired with the pleading of her body. Physically and mentally depleted, she was even amazed that she hadn't passed out yet.

Not knowing what else to do, she started to cry. Lips trembled with the admission of her fate. Tears mingled with rain and sobs were drowned down by the storm. She had never cried before, she had never shown weakness until this moment.

He had won the fight, and now, he is ready to take his prize.

"No…Never…" she shook her head and took one deep breath to try and clear her mind, refusing to yield even to fate.

Wiping her tears away, she stood up on feeble knees and steadied herself against a tree. No matter how worn-out she was, her defiant personality would never let her give up to this man. She would crawl away if she had to.

She would rather face death.

She sensed him gaining on her, and she willed her body to move once again even as her muscles protested. The course she was taking ran in a steep climb, into the hillside and she scrambled her way up, holding onto the roots and branches for support.

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Kakashi stalked behind, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. The darkness of the forest lay past behind him as he now faced a rocky hill. He knew he was gaining on her. He could almost see her running through the graveled, uneven ground. Loose pebbles skirted the edge of the hillside, rolling unto the darkness at the side.

He recognized the path well, having scouted it for enemies countless times. He knew where the course would end.

Mismatched eyes suddenly widened with this realization.

"No, she would never..." he muttered under his breath.

"Oh yes, she would!" and Kakashi cursed himself.

He chased after her with all his might, this time not out of lust but because of … … something else. Even he wasn't sure what it was. All he knew was that he had to catch her.

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Panic overtook Sakura's body once again as she gazed ahead in the path she was taking… only to find out that… there was no path. There was no place to run or hide.

There was nothing but a dangerously steep ravine that marked the end of her only hope.

She halted at the edge of the cliff as she watched the crumbling rocks plunge down with a daunting echo, revealing how deadly a fall could be.

She looked around frantically, searching for other options to take. There was nothing but rocks, rain and the foreboding sense that there is no escape.

Glancing back through her shoulder, she saw Kakashi running towards her.

"Don't do it!" Kakashi shouted.

She inched closer to the cliff, her feet knocking a few pebbles over the edge of the crag.

Kakashi halted a few feet away, breathing heavily from the chase, but commanding her with an anxious stare.

"Don't do it." he repeated.

Her thoughts awhile ago echoed in her mind and she made her decision instantly.

_She would rather face death._

And she threw her body down into the deadly abyss.

Not knowing why, Kakashi launched himself in the air after her. He caught her waist just as his other hand managed to hold onto a piece of jutted rock on the cliffside.

"Hold still!" Kakashi hissed and for once Sakura did as she was told.

They remained hanging for several seconds before the piece of rock finally gave way and crumbled.

Exposed skin and flesh were scraped harshly by the sharp rocks as they plunged into the unforgiving precipice. Clothes were torn into shreds and Sakura's cries of pain echoed against the trees as ugly gash and bruises developed throughout her battered body.

She tried to get a hold of the rocks but the loose stones fell into pieces against her grip. Their limbs entwined as they surrendered to the ruthless pull of gravity.

Kakashi tried to protect her lithe form as best as he could, using his own body to shield her away from the abrasive elements but he could only do so much. His head banged against a large stone which almost knocked him cold out but he still held onto her firmly as they both rolled downward.

Sakura's tunic got caught in a jagged stone as it tore away leaving her right shoulder uncovered. She groaned in pain as serrated rocks lacerated through her bare skin. This torture was way more than what her already beaten body could handle.

They could feel each other's hearts hammering through their chest as the yielded their fate to the darkness that lay below.

Neither one of them knew how far the drop was, or if they would even survive it. Kakashi held onto her tightly, almost crushing her against his chest, unsure why he even tried to save her in the first place. Later he would think about it. If he lives.

After what seemed like eternity, the perilous drop finally came to a stop at the foot of the hill and he was thankful that he was still conscious or that he was still alive, for that matter.

They remained there unable to move, arms and legs bloody and disheveled. Kakashi lay on top, nesting her delicate head between his arm and shoulder. Suddenly aware that he must be crushing her with his weight, he lifted himself up slowly only to find her expressionless face deathly pale.

An unfamiliar fear crept up on him and pounded on his heart as it throbbed erratically.

"Wake up!" he shouted at her, concern evident in his voice.

She did not move.

"Open your eyes!" He held onto her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. He gave a look of disgust as he noticed the beating her frail body had endured. Ugly blue bruises blemished her once flawless marble skin. He cursed himself for being the reason of those unsightly marks.

He wanted her, there is no denying that, but not to this extent. He tasted acid in his mouth, a bitter flavor called guilt.

She hated him, and now seeing her in this immobile, disheveled state, he couldn't help but hate himself too.

Dropping down unto one elbow, he ran his fingers into her cherry hair and gently cradled her fragile head in his other palm, bringing her face closer to his.

"Please open your eyes." he whispered softly.

Thick dark lashes fluttered against ashen white cheeks and Kakashi gave a deep sigh of relief.

"At least she's not dead."

Sakura slowly tried to open her eyes but her vision was all blurred. She tried to move but it hurt too much so she just lay there passively, waiting for whatever was to come. She almost welcomed the numbness that the cold air brought as it swept across her body.

Soft lips touched her own, gentle this time, unlike the one before, and this time, she did not object, not only because she can't, but because she did not want to. She was too tired to fight anymore, physically and emotionally. She wanted this to be over with, so she could die in peace.

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_Author's note: phew... this was a tough chapter to write, hope you guys still like it. anyways is the plot getting a bit too dark/depressing? am I being too harsh o Sakura? will try to lighten up next time. my mind's really twisted right now Replies greatly appreciated..._


	8. Chapter 8: The Game

**Warning: this chapter contains mature themes. If you are uncomfortable with it, by all means, press the back button. Please don't say I didn't warn you.**

**Chapter 8: The Game**

Sakura's lashes fluttered against her ashen cheeks as she gradually opened her eyes and tried to focus on her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was falling down the cliff then…nothing…the rest of it was a complete blank. Placing a weak hand on her head, she massaged her temples to still the throbbing pain in her skull. Like a dreadful hangover, she had no sense of time and place and her body still ached all over, but at least she could move now.

After a few minutes of lying down and gathering her scattered senses, she clumsily propped herself onto one elbow, looked around and assessed the surroundings, an old habit she picked up from her training as a shinobi.

From what she could process, she was in some sort of a shallow cave or a crevice against the hill foundations, the entrance being a narrow passageway like a gaping fish's mouth that had swallowed her alive. It was freezing cold inside and her breath misted as she exhaled. The only source of light was the small fire in the middle, giving the stone formations above her that ominous, gloomy look. She suddenly felt claustrophobic against the intimidating structure of the rocks looming over her head like deadly icicles aimed to pierce her tiny body. Shrugging the feeling off, she squirmed her eyes to gaze outside the cave.

Every now and then, a flash of lighting would illuminate the small cave casting an eerie glow inside the shelter. It was still dark and she could hear the noisy platter of water as it gushed down from the sky with a vengeance. It was still raining profusely outside which could mean that she hadn't slept for too long, it was still the same night.

_It's really thundering out there, good thing I'm in here_.

She relaxed herself and laid her body back down on the cold cave floor intending to go back to sleep.

_Wait… how did I get here?_

Suddenly jerking into sitting position, she gave a painful growl as her limbs ached from the abrupt movement. She grabbed her shoulder and started to knead her hurting muscles with a deep sigh. She had never felt this battered before in her life.

"So you're finally awake huh"

She froze as she instantly looked at the direction where the voice came from and saw Kakashi sitting across from her, leaning back into a huge boulder behind him, one hand holding the same orange book he was reading earlier while the other hand played with a kunai, absentmindedly spinning it between his fingers and occasionally throwing it lightly in the air while his eyes remained glued to the book.

Her heart skipped a beat as terror flooded through her body once again suddenly remembering every ugly detail of their past encounter, the bloody battle… the dreadful chase… the deadly fall…

She would have run away again, if her weak body had allowed her to do so, but she had an awful feeling that she won't get too far, that she won't get lucky a second time.

Then again, he wasn't threatening her in any form, with his legs crossed in a languid manner in front of him, casually leaning back and enjoying his hobby.

Actually, he seemed more interested in the book than her.

Sakura's brow creased in confusion.

"What am I doing here?" Knowing he had all the time in the world to kill her while she was unconscious, she couldn't help but feel that she should be dead by now.

"It's raining outside." Kakashi said matter-of-factly, without even lifting his gaze from the book which irritated the quick-tempered kunoichi.

"No! I mean, what am I _doing_ here!" she repeated angrily at his philosophical answer.

"Would you rather stay outside? That could still be arranged, you know." He replied coolly without even looking at her.

Sakura was unused to derisive answers and she was fuming mad with Kakashi's satirical reply. Her eyes thinned as she threw a deadly stare at him. Any other man would have cowered under her wrathful glare for she was known in her village for having a short temper and the skills and talent to back it up. She was a strong, capable woman and many men had bowed on her feet and surrendered to her fury before.

Unfortunately for her, Kakashi was not just any other man, as he completely ignored her hostile eyes and carefully turned the page of his book, the sound of creasing paper annoying her even more.

A deep growling sound came from her throat which sounded much like an angry tiger as she clawed her fingers against the dirt floor.

Again… no response…

Apparently, she wasn't going to get a decent answer from this man

_Then again, it was a stupid question to ask._

She sighed against her thoughts.

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Since he was totally ignoring her for the moment, Sakura decided to take this opportunity to survey the man in front of her, creating a mental picture of his appearance. Her sensei taught her that any information about an enemy might prove beneficial under certain circumstances and she was not about to pass out the chance, seeing him in this lazy, unguarded state.

_Silver… such an unusual color. _

She eyed him intently. Though the lower half of his face was hidden behind the orange book, she had an excellent view of his mismatched eyes, which, at the moment seemed unaware that they were being scrutinized.

Sakura could sense a concealed power behind his sharingan eye, like it could pierce through her body and gaze into her soul, almost like he could read her mind even before she thought about it, which frightened her quite a bit. She forced her eyes away from his red one, suddenly uncomfortable with the thoughts of its uncanny ability.

Her gaze drifted to his well defined arms, no doubt brought about by extensive training and experience. His chiseled muscular torso, currently shirtless, was covered with deep scratches and bloody wounds. A deep painful-looking laceration made by her kodachi marked the center of his chest but even in this injured state, his body emitted a unique masculine strength that she had never seen on any other male before, almost like he wasn't even wounded at all. She decided that he was definitely at the prime of his life and most probably the best ninja in the land as of this moment.

Sakura was still pondering this over and staring at him when Kakashi suddenly lifted his gaze and met her eyes. A smile formed on his lips, hidden behind the book.

"Satisfied?" he asked mockingly.

Involuntarily, Sakura flushed into a shade not far from the color of her hair as she pried her sight away from him immediately. She heard him chuckle behind the cover of his book before he lowered his eyes and started to read again.

_Damn you, Kakashi!_

Intending to examine her own wounds, she looked down on her own body and finally noticed… …her own lack of clothing. She was down to her black undergarments with nothing but small pieces of fabric covering only the essential parts of her body.

Her eyes widened and gave a high pitched shriek as she covered her breasts with her arms, her mind instantly thinking of the worst possible thing that could happened to a woman.

_He…he couldn't have… NO!_

Her mind was racing with the most horrible scenarios of what might have happened while she was unconscious. Her almost naked body and his unclothed state left nothing to question and it all pointed to one solid direction.

He made no effort to hide his desire for her body throughout their whole encounter and he made it clear what he wanted from her if she lost.

She just didn't think he would actually do it to her while she was unconscious, when she couldn't even fight and defend her honor.

Her breathing grew more rapid with anxiety as she wrapped her arms tightly around her body. She felt dirty and disgraced.

_What would Tsunade-sensei tell me now?_

She could almost feel the stinging slap across her face when her sensei finds out that she gave her innocence without so much as a fight, and to the enemy, on top of that.

Tortured by her own thoughts, Sakura almost cried with shame but she held onto her pride, she won't let this brute who has taken her dignity see her tears.

Kakashi looked up and saw her discomfort and he understood immediately why.

He cleared his throat to catch her attention. "Your clothes were wet. I…umm…dried them out for you."

"Wh… what?"

Kakashi motioned his kunai to the fire side where his shirt and her clothes were laid out.

"Wet clothes…" he repeated as if speaking to a child. "you would have caught a cold if you stayed in them."

"But…but…you didn't…" Sakura stuttered out anxiously.

"No, I didn't" cutting her off before she could finish her sentence.

Surprised and confused at the same time, Sakura muttered the first question she could think of, and probably the most stupid one in her life.

"Why not?"

She mentally slapped herself as soon as the words slipped out her mouth.

His answer was in a form of a torturous glare as he slowly lowered his novel and tucked the kunai in his belt, looking directly into her eyes. He examined the barely clad woman in front of him, her cherry ruffled hair framing her face quite beautifully.

_Why not indeed?_

Emerald eyes shinned brilliantly against the fire light, discomfort evident in them once again as he continued his gaze. She looked like she was about to cry which amused him even more. He could almost see her pink moist lips quiver before she bit on them to stop the trembling. He smiled, remembering the sweet taste of those lips beneath his own, the texture of her soft skin against his mouth.

His breath became shallow as he lowered his eyes even more, past her supple neck and pronounced collar bones, sight falling on the heaving swell of her breasts, rising and falling with every deep breath she takes. The darkness of the fabric against the paleness of her skin accentuated her feminine curves perfectly. Her attempt to cover them from his lascivious eyes only intensified his desire to yank her arms and rip the dainty clothing away and feel those curves against his lips and tongue.

He grinded his teeth together as he gazed at the flatness of her stomach and her long, slender limbs, the temptation to touch the sensitive flesh between them almost driving him insane.

He imagined his hands running up her pale thighs with a tantalizingly slow movement. Would she writhe underneath the weight of his body, finally admitting her defeat, or would she fight him like she had done before? Kakashi hoped it would be both. He gripped the edge of his book tightly, knuckles tuning white. The urge to find out was so intense he didn't think he could contain himself any longer.

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Sakura knew that look in his eyes all too well, frozen on the spot by the fierceness of his gaze. She could feel its warmth as they slowly went lower and lower on her body. A scarlet blush tainted her cheeks as he examined every inch of her uncovered skin. She felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny and she hugged her body tighter, looking at the dead space on the floor. She could not meet his eyes for fear that she would melt under the heat of his gaze.

Time seemed to be moving so slow that it was completely unbearable. She couldn't breathe.

An unfamiliar sensation flowed through her whole body making her dizzy and lightheaded. She closed her eyes, seeking control over the tremors that surged throughout her being but failing miserably.

Command as she will, her body had betrayed her.

_And all of that from a single stare?_

She almost wished that she was facing the harsh, brute assassin instead of this calm, virile man who was slowly seducing her with his eyes.

She did not dare think what would happen to her if he touches her bare skin… if he kissed her again… if he continued to… to look at her this way any longer.

Her heart throbbed erratically for fear that she would…

she would…

_Yield._

"Because… my little wildcat…" his voice was low and husky, cutting out Sakura's train of thought.

"I am not so dishonorable a man… that I would take an unconscious woman… whose name I don't even know." the last phrase barely a whisper.

Sakura finally released a breath she did not realize she held. Nothing had her for this kind of torture, to be torn between the desire of her body and the defiant personality of her mind. The atmosphere in the cavern got so intense that she felt like she was going to faint again. She was breathing rapidly now unable to mask the responses of her body.

_Oh, god!_

An evil smile crept on Kakashi's lips upon seeing her reaction to his words.

_Oh yes, my little cat, you cannot deny me any longer._

He decided to push their game a little bit farther.

"But seeing as you are now fully conscious and… … properly attired…" slowly trailing his eyes lower and lower on her body once again. "I don't see why we can't continue where we left off…"

Sakura was slapped back to reality by the arrogance in his voice. Her eyes widened in response at his haughty remark and she clenched her fists, her violent side finally overcoming the yearning of her body.

"If… if you think that I would just offer myself to you… well you got another think coming, you bastard!" the curses fell easily on her lips. She was screaming mad now, her voice echoing against the rock foundations.

"You won't find me so easy. I will fight you…you… arrogant pig headed fool." She was scarlet with fury and breathing heavily with rage.

"and you will find no pleasure in it."

For one brief second, Kakashi was tempted to prove just how much pleasure he could get out of her and how much more he could give in return. A muscle twitched on his jaw as he grinded his teeth together.

She was pushing his buttons, and she was pushing _hard._

"Well I'm glad you have that fiery temper of yours back. It means you're almost healed and ready to claw my eyeballs out!" he said with a small laugh.

"But you can keep your talons to yourself, my lovely cat. I promised myself I won't hurt you anymore tonight... unless needed of course. "

And with that, he lifted up his book and continued on reading… leaving a dumstruck, wide eyed and very confused, kunoichi hanging on a thread.

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Author's note: sorry guys but it might take some time before I upload the next chapter, I got my boards comming and I really need to focus on that one first sniff...sniff I will finish the story...eventually.


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